Wigan relegated from Premier League

14 May 2013 09:17

Wigan became the first team to win the FA Cup yet be relegated from English football's top-flight in the same season after a 4-1 Premier League loss away to Arsenal on Tuesday.

Just 72 hours after they stunningly defeated Manchester City 1-0 in one of the great FA Cup final shocks across London at Wembley, Wigan were well-beaten at the Emirates Stadium to join already relegated Reading and Queens Park Rangers in the second-tier Championship next season.

Arsenal's victory meant their hopes of qualifying for the Champions League would be in their own hands when they face Newcastle on Sunday's final day of the Premier League season.

Two goals from Lukas Podolski and strikes from Theo Walcott and Aaron Ramsey secured Arsenal's victory.

But at half-time Wigan were still in the game at 1-1 following Shaun Maloney's equaliser from a well-struck free-kick.

While Wigan, four points behind Sunderland with one game left, will be back in the second tier for the first time since 2005, Arsene Wenger's Arsenal team are on course to play in the Champions League for a 16th consecutive season.

They had fallen two points behind Tottenham after their north London rivals won at Stoke, but now head to Newcastle knowing another win will guarantee a top four finish.

They would not even need three points if Tottenham fail to beat Sunderland at White Hart Lane.